1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to displaying targeted content to a content observer (such as a television viewer) and, in particular, to identification of a content observer to facilitate display of targeted content to the content observer. Most particularly, the invention relates to preventing unauthorized access to data produced as part of identification of the content observer.
2. Related Art
The direct marketing industry has demonstrated the value in being able to target content (in the case of direct marketing, typically an advertisement) to a particular type of consumer. A targeted advertisement increases the likelihood of stimulating a consumer's interest in a product or service. For example, the message that would be used effectively to sell a car to a family with children that places a high value on safety is clearly very different from the message that would be used effectively to sell the same car to a recent college graduate who is looking forward to the chance to spread their wings. Further, particular advertisers may desire to communicate only with particular consumers. For example, a manufacturer of feminine hygiene products may highly value the ability to show their commercial to a female, but will place little or no value on the ability to show the commercial to an elderly male viewer. Similarly, a skateboard manufacturer would love to show their advertisement to teens, but has little interest in showing the advertisement to viewers of other ages.
Like other content providers, content providers that deliver content for display on television (e.g., broadcast stations, cable operators) have an interest in delivering and displaying targeted content to television viewers. Television content providers desire to exploit the value of their product. Their primary vehicle for doing so is selling advertising time. Delivering custom advertisements targeted to particular viewers can increase the value of that advertising time. In many ways delivering custom television broadcast content is similar to the airline industry's efforts at yield management. Content providers (e.g., advertisers) have a period of time (e.g., 30 second commercial break in a television program) to present their message and if they don't extract the maximum value from this time then it is lost forever. Currently, television advertisers seek to target their advertising by picking appropriate television programs during which to show their advertisements. However, it is desirable to enable a more precise form of targeted marketing for television advertising and, more generally, to enable custom content delivery for use in display of television content (e.g., television broadcasts, on-demand television content delivery).
To effectively display targeted content, it is necessary to know who the content observer is. Conventional approaches to identification of a television viewer are based on the viewer doing something to indicate the viewer's identity. For example, one approach is to have a viewer push a button as the viewer enters or leaves the room in which the television is located. However, this approach is cumbersome and prone to error. Another approach is to have a viewer fill out a survey, identifying the viewer and the viewer's demographic information. However, this approach is also cumbersome and may be too time consuming or involved to produce adequate viewer participation. Still another approach is have a viewer watch television using a remote control that identifies the viewer to a set top box associated with the television. However, this approach is also prone to error (the wrong viewer may use the remote control). Further, each of the above approaches is effective only if the content is specialized enough or if some other incentive is provided so that the viewer will want to identify himself.
Another possible approach to identifying a television viewer is to use a camera to film the area in which a viewer may be present and identify each person filmed in that area. (See, e.g., the description of Nielsen's people-finder technology in the article entitled “Commercial television: Dead or alive? A status report on Nielsen's passive people meter,” by Barry Cook, Journal of Advertising Research, March/April 1995, Vol. 35, No. 2, Pg. RC-5 to RC-10.) However, people are typically very concerned about the presence of a camera in their homes. For example, they may be concerned that the recording obtained by the camera will be used to disseminate pictures of them without their consent, notwithstanding assurances to the contrary. Thus, any system that uses a camera to identify a television viewer must be implemented so that privacy concerns are alleviated.